Two screens of London Paris multiplex in the Mukti World building in Ballygunge were gutted early on Monday. There were no casualties or injuries as there was no one in the building, police said.

The fire had spread across the adjoining screens and gutted the seats, which were inflammable in nature, a fire officer said. It took three hours and 10 fire engines to douse the flames.

“Thick fumes were spotted billowing out of the building in the morning. Our officers and fire officers rushed to the spot,” an officer of Gariahat police station said.

Firefighters could enter into the building after the windowpanes were smashed and the trapped smoke was released, the police said.

The fire brigade suspects a short circuit triggered the fire. Forensic officials will visit the spot and collect samples to ascertain the cause of the fire.

“It will be the primary task of forensic officials to check if the main switch was switched on though the building was locked,' a fire officer said. “That will be crucial in determining the cause of the fire.”

The building has several commercial establishments, including a banquet hall and restaurants and a jewellery store on the ground floor facing Ballygunge Phari. None of the other establishments were affected in the fire, the police said.

Some police officers said if it were not for the lockdown someone would have spotted the fire sooner and alerted the fire brigade and the extent of the damage would have been less.